Accra

Every time I go to Ghana, I genuinely like it more and more. There is a sense of hope and civic engagement in the country, I don't feel in East Africa. I've never actually done touristy things in Ghana, as most time I go for work, but I always find gems on the weekend in Accra.

My friend Will runs Impact Hub, and it's in the heart of Osu, so I usually work there for the day (20 GHS for the day). Right next to it are two cafes that I love-- Kukun and Tea Baa. Kukun is newer, but has great decor and good food. Tea baa has a small but delicious daily menu, mostly of Ghanaian inspired continental dishes, tasty grilled items and some of the best coconut rice I've tasted. While they don't have coffee, you can order your teas "tipsy" in the evening.

- Albela on 17th lane tends to be pretty quiet inside but was my fave go to for Indian food, which as a vegetarian is generally my fave go to for eating out :P :)

- Burger and Relish is a place with a fun vibe too, fairly continental/Western food often with live bands

- If you're looking for evening vibes, Republic is another place that has live music often, you could probably find them on facebook and insta to see if they have an event on the night you are interested in.

- Chez Clarisse is great for Ghanaian and regional food and has a nice outdoor but covered dining area that I quite like

Skybar 25 for sunset drinks. Go to Artist Gallery Alliance and get lost in their rooms and rooms of art-- from wooden statues to pointillism. They close around 5, so hop next door to Sandbox, for drinks and Afrobeats.  Tawala is also pretty chill on the beach, but sometimes they have very loud music and I think it's GHC 5-10 to enter. Sandbox is a bit fancier and I prefer there.

Kempinski has a extravagant weekend brunch (that starts at 12:30) and has a great pool to hang around the whole day. Don't forget to check out Gallery 1957 in Kempinski.

If you want to check out the beach, there's Tawala that's a pretty chill vibe sometimes with very loud music and I think GHC 5-10 to enter, inside you can get drinks and some snacks; there's also which is a bit fancier and more expensive to get into, but can also be a little quieter as a result.

The fabric is the BEST IN WEST AFRICA!! Makola market is a bit much to handle, but they have the best prices if you can haggle hard. The Center for National Culture, is more touristy, but they usually have everything your heart can desire.

Kitenge/Ankara will go for about 10 GHS per meter, obviously less if you buy more. Usually they sell by 6 meter increments, for 60-100 GHS. I always try to convince them to sell me less because I only 2-3 meters to make a dress.

Mudcloth is more expensive and comes in 2 or 4 meters increments. Usually the black is thicker, and the white is a thinner cloth. The 2 meters starts at 120 GHS (they might open you at 180?), and the 4 meters goes for 200 GHS and up.

Kente, depending on the age and the weave, can start at 60 GHS and go up to 200 GHS. If it's too much, you can usually convince them to cut you a strip only. There's single, double, and triple woven kente.

If you want better and verified quality, you can go for the GTP cloth.